Cheat Mode
You want to know how to fly a perfect mission do you? Well follow this advice and you can't go far wrong.
1. Before you take off set your RBM to 10 miles square so you're set up for the first HRM at 80 miles range and spend less time fooling around when mapping.
2. Flying low to avoid radar detection increases chances of survival.
3. Time your AWACS checks carefully. Perform one enroute to the target one while attacking and one on egress. If you're detected by an enemy radar an AWACS picture gives valuable information on incoming air threats.
4. Use the padlock view to keep a constant eye on the sky because there's a time delay between each AWACS picture. Of course this doesn't work at night and care must be taken to use AWACS and remain undetected as long as possible. An occasional 360-degree radar sweep of the sky on a night mission is a must once you've been detected.
5. Zoom your TEWS to 10 mile range when you expect ground or radar threats. You can always zoom out if the threat is further away.
6. When you're attacking targets in the Kuwait City/Basra area of Desert Storm fly over the Gulf until you are in line with the target then turn inland to engage it. The area between Saudi Arabia and these cities is filled with SAMs AAA and airfields and is only for the brave or the criminaly insane. This also applies to DMZ missions in Korea.
7. Avoid the area south of Panama city - it contains Roland SAMs
And you probably also want to know how best to fly the F-15 in a dogfight. Well here goes ....
1. When you're in a dogfight with one opponent fire a Sparrow missile (or AMRAAM) then turn until the bandit is on the edge of your radar screen (make sure you do not let him fall of the edge). If he fires you can defeat the missile with chaff (wait until missile is within 5 miles) and still maintain your lock on him.
2. When confronting two or more bandits fly towards them and lock and shoot the leader at maximum range. Turn away until the locked bandit is at the edge of your radar screen. Select Sidewinders and when the leader is hit immediately change your radar to auto acquisition mode. Turn hard towards the second plane (it should now be within 10 miles) lock and shoot. Continue your turn until the bandit is 90 degrees to your position. If he fires you're in perfect position to defeat his missile and if he survives he usually overshoots enabling you to turn on his six and finish him off.
AIR TO GROUND
1. Attacking AAA guns or targets in cities such as Baghdad is dangerous. The pop up method of delivering bombs is the most effective and is often the only safe way to hit these targets. To perform a pop up attack designate your target then as you approach slightly to one side of the target. Using your RBM place the target marker (triangle) just left or right of the centre (close to the range numbers of your RBM display) and let it travel down the screen. Continue flying until the time to target indicator reads between 22 and 25 seconds. Pull up 25 degrees and roll towards the target. The target marker should be sliding towards the centre so level out. Make your final adjustments and drop your bombs. Level bombing is the chosen technique for bombing most other targets.
2. When firing Slams and Harpoons you can use the F10 key to ensure you are locked on to the proper target.
3. The 'standard load-out' that you are given when you first enter the arming screen is effective for a mission but it's not always the best you can come up with. Read the manual and know you weapons and their capabilities.
4. If you have reduced your throttle increase it to 100% during your attack run. You want to get in and out fast.
5. After hitting a target do not exit along your original course. Fighters are vectored to your last know position and are probably heading along that route.
HEAD TO HEAD DOGFIGHT
1. When you're performing evasive manoeuvres do not attempt splits of any other downward loops under 3000 feet.
2. When you're in an engagement with another player remember to keep the radar beam on the opponent. Rapid changes in the pitch of your aircraft's nose can pull the beam off your enemy. Use the radar elevation controls (Page Up and Page Down Keys) to keep the beam at the proper altitude. Placing your opponent in TWO accomplishes this but rapid altitude changes can still cause you to 'lose stock'
3. Remember to use the 'Vertical' when maneouvring. Don't get sucked into a turning match that you might not get out of.
4. If you're using sparrows you can fire the missile then turn until the opponent is on the edge of your radar screen (make sure you don't let him fall off the screen!). This way if he fires you can defeat his missile with chaff (wait until his missile is within 5 miles) and still maintain a lock on him. If the opponent is withing 8 to 10 miles when your sparrow is fired upon change to sidewinders and set your radar to auto acquisition mode. Prepare for a red hot flying session hot shot!
5. After opening long range shots firing a radar missile then an infrared missile is a good tactic. You opponent may defend against one missile and not the other.
6. When arming your F-15 don't go for the default weapons selection. Arm the wing bomb and the CFT hardpoints with either MK84s MK82s MK20s or CBU87Bs. All these are iron bombs so you don't have to faff around with fancy electronic guiding systems - you simply line them up and let them drop.
2. When you are arming the wing missile hardpoint you don't have to be stuck with the short-range AIM-9M Sidewinders. To load them with the superior AIM-120A Ammraams first remove the AIM-9Ms then cycle through the available weapons and select something totally different. Now cycle through the weapons again and you find that the AIM-120A has become available. Select that and it appears on the wing missile point.
3. During battle you may find that your plane becomes severely damaged leaving you on the verge of destruction but all is not necessarily lost. Press [ALT]+[T] to switch to training mode because this prevents you from recieving any more damage from enemy fire. Now press [ALT]+[R] to completely restock your plane - armour and fuel. You cantale on the enemy with no fear of dying but when you return to your base you recieve no points
at all.